Unbroken
by amber24-03
Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing he can't change? Please Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: I'm taking this fiction day-by-day. This isn't my first fiction, but it's my first on Roswell and it's my first that I've put on here. Any comments or suggestions could be appreciated. (Just not hurtful negative, all right? Constructive criticism is great!) I hope you enjoy and be kind! I kinda have an idea of where I wanna take this, but not really. I'm just taking it as I receive it.

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 1

He walked through the halls as the tardy bell rang, not to worried about whatever class it was that he was missing. Michael Guerin didn't need school. He was only here to prove everyone wrong. The older community of Roswell was dead set on the fact that trailer-trash Michael Guerin wasn't going to amount to anything. They all watched anxiously, wanting to witness every moment of his failure. He figured that by at least coming to school he would be showing how wrong the town was of him. He didn't need to attend the boring classes to do what was already being done. By just showing up at school, he had already shocked everyone in his small town, and that was good enough for him.

Michael looked around as he continued to walk the halls of West Roswell High, or as he preferred to call it: "Hell". Nothing was here for him. No one was here for him. Max and Isabel were the only two people in the world like him, but they both had other commitments to tend to. And by other commitments, I mean Liz Parker and Alex Whitman. Michael hardly spoke to Max anymore. He got tired of listening to him talk about Liz. Sure, Liz was beautiful, but did Max have to talk about the girl every waking minute of the day? Scratch waking. Did he have to talk about her every minute of the day? Max even talked about Liz in his sleep. Michael knew this because he was lucky enough to witness it more than a dozen times.

His relationship with Isabel was different, though. Isabel was like his sister. She had Alex, but she would always make time for him. She understood him better than anyone else could or even tried. His peers at West Roswell saw a defiant, sarcastic, rude bad boy, but Izzy saw through that. She saw him. She saw the real him. He tried hard to resist her friendship, but she tried harder to convince him that he needed her friendship. It turns out that he did. She always made for a great listener.

"Mr. Guerin." Michael winced as he placed the face to the voice in his mind. Every student knew that voice well. It was the devil. As harsh as the name was, it made sense. The devil was in charge of Hell, was he not?

Michael turned to face his nightmare head on. "Principal Forrester." his eyebrow raised, distain dripping from his voice. He didn't have to try to sound unhappy to see the man. Michael's tone of voice came naturally to him. He had lived a horrible life so far and things weren't beginning to look any better.

"Aren't we supposed to be somewhere else besides roaming the halls, Mr. Guerin? Tell me, where are we supposed to be right now?" Principal Forrester stood, his arms folded across his chest, his foot tapping the tile floor as he awaited an answer. 

"Physics." Michael glanced down at his watch, his voice not wavering from it's normal, sarcastic tone.

"Why aren't we in physics then, Mr. Guerin?"

"Well, Mr. Forrester, roaming the halls just seemed so much more interesting. I mean, who really wants to know about Newton's Laws, anyway?" the bell rang and teenagers rushed the hallway. Michael was surprised and thankful at the same time that forty-five minutes had gone by so quickly. "School's out. My reason for being here is over. See you later." Michael began to walk off, but was halted by his voice.

"Just a minute, Mr. Guerin." Mr. Forrester stood before him once again, his arms immediately crossing back over his chest when his walk slowed to a stop. "I want to inform you on a few things. I am the principal here and I enforce the rules. The biggest, but simplest, rule we have is going to class. You better start attending your classes or I'll be forced to expel you. I don't really want to do that because as you may know, you add so much excitement to these otherwise dull halls, but I'll do whatever I have to. Do you understand me, Mr. Guerin?" his voice had now taken on Michael's infamous sarcasm. Michael just merely nodded before turning and leaving the school, rolling his eyes once more. How many times did that make that now that Mr. Morgan had threatened to expel him? Empty threats. That was all they were.


	2. Chapter 2

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: I'm taking this fiction day-by-day. This isn't my first fiction, but it's my first on Roswell and it's my first that I've put on here. Any comments or suggestions could be appreciated. (Just not hurtful negative, all right? Constructive criticism is great!) I hope you enjoy and be kind! I kinda have an idea of where I wanna take this, but not really. I'm just taking it as I receive it.

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 2

Maria DeLuca entered the Crashdown Café, the small bell on the door indicating her arrival. She burst into laughter as she took in the scene around here. An alien-themed restaurant. Maria hadn't even been in Roswell for more than a couple of hours and already she had stumbled across every square inch of the small town, almost every building holding the same alien décor. She should have expected as much being that she was moving to Roswell, New Mexico, the "alien" capital of the world. Every time she entered a new building to find aliens gracing the walls, though, Maria was forced into a state of awe all over again.

She walked quietly to the nearest booth against an alien covered wall, her eyes wondering through the small café, taking everything in. The place wasn't too busy, but she wasn't the only one there. The décor was tacky, but she liked it. It was fun. New York would have never had a place like this. As diverse as Manhattan could be, aliens would not have been any theme for a restaurant. It was refreshing to have that change.

"Hi." Maria looked up to find a perky brunette in a pale green uniform standing at the end of her table. The girl wore a smile along with a pair of silver alien antennas, and Maria couldn't help but giggle at how silly she looked in them. "My name is Liz. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask me." she paused to take an ordering pad out of her silver, alien faced apron. "What can I get you to drink?"

Maria quickly scanned over the menu before looking back up a the brunette, a smile still plastered on the girl's lips. "I guess I'll just have a coke." she smiled, watching as the brunette scribbled down her order on the pad. She didn't understand why she did that. Was a coke too hard to remember?

"Can I interest you in an order of Saturn Rings with that?" Maria's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and the girl quickly jumped to explain. "Saturn Rings are just onion rings. That name kind of gives it an out of this world twist, you know, to fit the theme." she began motioning with her hands.

Maria nodded slowly, her confusion fading from her features. "I think I'll just have a coke. I'm not that hungry." she spoke politely, folding her arms together and resting them on the table. She returned the girl's smile before walking away.

Maria hadn't really wanted to move from New York. The idea of leaving everything that she had ever known scared her, but the choice wasn't up to her. Her mom had finally been given a chance to do something she really wanted to do. Maria was happy for her even though it meant that she would have to give up all her friends back in New York. She was going to like it here, though. Maria was sure of that. All of the people seemed open for anything or anyone. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard for her to fit in after all.

The waitress was back with Maria's drink within seconds. Maria thanked the girl expecting her to turn and walk away soon after. The brunette, however, didn't bother asking before taking a seat in the booth across form her. "So what did you come to Roswell for? Are you traveling because I think I would have recognized you if you went to our school?"

"I'm not a tourist." Maria answered, shaking her head. "My mother and I just moved into town. She is actually registering me for school as we speak. I didn't want to sit at home while she was out so I decided to see what this town had to offer. By the way, my name is Maria." she extended her hand to the young brunette. "What was your name again?"

"Liz." the girl smiled, shaking Maria's hand. "So we are getting a new student then?" the girl became giddy and Maria had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at her. She liked Liz. Liz was like no one she had ever met. It was nice to meet someone that was completely the opposite of everyone in New York. "It's really cool that you moved here, Maria. We hardly ever get anyone new. It's kind of exciting, don't you think?"

The door bell rang and Maria turned to see a group of teenagers entering the café. Maria was quick to realize that they were friends of Liz when she began to jump in her seat and wave her hands in the air, wanting to get their attention. For a second, Maria had wondered what her mother had gotten them into to. 

"Guys." Liz shouted quietly, waving them over to her. "Guys, come here. I want you to meet someone." Liz stood, giving her boyfriend a quick kiss before beginning introductions. "Maria, this is Alex, Isabel, Kyle, and Max, my boyfriend." she pointed to each person as she named them. "Guys, this is Maria. She will be going to West Roswell with us."

"A new student? It's unusual that we get a new student in the middle of the school year. Are you a senior as well, Maria?" Isabel sat next to her brother, Max, who had joined Liz when she sat back down. Maria scooted over in her booth to allow Kyle and Alex a seat.

"Yeah, I am." Maria nodded, suddenly feeling under the watchful eye of Isabel. She seemed suspicious of her. What would make her grow so suspicious so quickly?

"Your family moved you in the middle of your senior year? That must suck." Alex began, trying to ease some of the tension. He knew his girlfriend well. He knew that she had a lot to be afraid of, and he knew that she was speculating why Maria would have come to Roswell in her head. He didn't believe it was to hurt them, though. He had a feeling about Maria. She was harmless, he could tell.

"Yeah, my mom is in the merchandising business. She got a chance to work for a company here. It must not be that big, though. No offense but nothing in this town is."

"Where were you originally from, Maria?" Max asked, his voice letting her know that he was generally interested. Maria observed Max before answering him. He rested his elbow on the table, propping his head up with his hand as he stared back at her. Maria knew that she'd get along with Max great. He seemed really open and trusting, which was something that the people of New York weren't.

"My mom and I moved here from New York. It's kind of a shock to go from a huge city to a little town. It's pleasant here, though. I like that. The people are a lot nicer." they all nodded along with her as she spoke.

Maria's mind began to drift. Her mom had told her about the job offer only a week ago. She had hardly had any time to allow the fact that she was moving to a new town and having to start completely over sink in. She had left everything she knew in New York. Now she was in a place where people might not accept her. Somehow, though, she wasn't worried. Something in her told her that their move was probably going to be one of the best things that would ever happen to her. 


	3. Chapter 3

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: These next chapters are short so that's why I decided to give you two chapters in one update. I'm continuing to write as I go, just thinking things up day-by-day. Any feedback that you could give me would be greatly appreciated. I love hearing what all of you think of my writing, and I would love to hear about any suggestions that you have to make. I'm a big believer in constructive criticism. You can't better your writing if someone doesn't tell you what is wrong with it, right? Anyways, Keep Reading! And Enjoy!

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 3

Maria sighed in frustration as the tardy bell rang and she stood still in the middle of the deserted hallway. Starting a new school was going to be harder than she thought. The school was small, but that didn't mean it was easy to navigate through it. In fact, she was completely confused. Her schedule indicated that she was supposed to be in room 132, but that room was hard to find when every room looked exactly the same.

Liz had promised that she would help direct her to her classes, but when Maria walked into school this morning, the place was packed. For such a small town, the class population wasn't so little. The entire high school was confined to a small lobby area because of bad weather, making the impossible even more unattainable. How was she supposed to find Liz when she could hardly get through the crowd of teenagers, let alone see over them to find a short, brown headed girl?

"Ugh!" Maria lurched forward when something hit her from behind. She looked up in time to see a boy continuing past her, his shaggy hair bouncing as he walked. "Wait a second! Excuse me?" Maria began after him, stopping abruptly when he turned to face her. Maria smiled, but his face remained emotionless. "Hi, my name is Maria. Maria DeLuca. I'm new here, and if you could be so kind as to show me to my pre-cal class then I would be so grateful." she looked down at her schedule. "It's, um, room 132. Do you know where that is?"

"It's over there." the boy pointed in the direction of a line of doors, separated by rows of lockers. He didn't wait for her to reply before turning back around to walk away. He knew that if he would have stayed then she would have continued to ramble. Girls were like that, and that was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

"Thanks!" she called after him and watched as he lifted his hand to her, his legs still carrying him away. Maria's smile fell. She hadn't expect everyone to greet her with open arms, but the fact that someone actually wasn't disappointed her. Weren't small towns supposed to be full of friendly people that were willing to help?

When she finally found the correct room, the bell rang and the doors swung open. Liz was the first one to exit that classroom and she lit up at the sight of her new friend. "Maria! I was looking for you this morning. Where were you?" the two girls began to walk down the hallway together.

"People were so crowded together that I couldn't see the floor two feet in front of me." Maria replied. "I really could have used your help. It took me all class period to find the room. I asked some boy, but he didn't seem like he actually wanted to help much. And he didn't." she smiled softly.

Liz nodded, giggling. "You must have just met Michael. He's a friend of Max and Isabel. You just have to get to know him to understand him. He's had a rough life and he doesn't like to be around people much. He used to hang with us, but we hardly ever see him anymore. Isabel is the only one he ever really talks to."

Maria listened as Liz continued to ramble. Michael must have been the same boy because to say he wasn't friendly would have been an understatement. He wasn't really anything. Sure, he directed her to her classroom, but that was all he did. She didn't understand what it was that made people so emotionless and numb to the world. What had to have happened to him that made him despise everyone around him? "Hey, Liz, can you tell me where my next class is?" Maria asked, handing over her schedule to her new friend, switching the subject of conversation momentarily.

"Yeah, you have English with me. I'll show you there." Liz paused, taking her friend by the arm as she began to pull her in the direction of their next class. "Will you meet me at the Crashdown later, Maria? I'll talk to Max and Isabel. Maybe the can convince Michael to go there and I can properly introduce you two. Who knows? Maybe he will open up to you."

Maria nodded and smiled. "Sure, sounds like fun." she followed Liz into the classroom, their teacher instantly hushing them.

Maria had only been in Roswell for two days and already it felt like home. In fact, Roswell felt more like home than New York ever did. She never did fit in well with people from New York, but here everyone was just like her. Although she never pictured herself as being a small town girl before, she was beginning to like the idea more and more. It was more peaceful here. She wasn't kept awake by the constant sounds of vehicles driving by or by policemen turning their sirens on as they passed her house. Peace was something that she missed while living in New York. Peace was the one thing that she loved most about Roswell.


	4. Chapter 4

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: Here is the second part of the update. Enjoy!

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 4

Michael sighed, putting his books away in his locker. If he would have known that going to class would have allowed him to get the best sleep he's ever had in his entire life then he would have attended more often, without a doubt. His neck was a little sore from the way he had been sleeping, but it was good sleep nonetheless.

"Michael," Max came up beside him and Michael's face sagged with dread. He and Max hadn't been able to have a civil conversation in months. Max tried. Michael had to give him credit for that, but they always ended up disagreeing on one thing or another. It had become a routine for them until Michael began avoiding them all. "you actually came to class today. I'm shocked. What's with the sudden change? Did Principal Forrester threaten to expel you again?" Max laughed, trying to make things between them light. He didn't want to get into anything serious right now. That only ended in arguments.

Max fully realized that he and Michael had always had problems, but that didn't stop him from trying to keep in contact with his best friend. Michael and Isabel were really the only two people he completely trusted, besides Liz of course. They understood him the best because they were exactly like him. They knew how it felt to know you're different and to have to hide that from the rest of the world. Michael knew that more than anyone.

"Don't start, Maxwell. I'm not in the mood for any of your self-righteous lectures today, all right?" Michael rolled his eyes and began to walk off. To his dismay, Max followed after him.

"It was a joke, Michael. Only a joke. I was just trying to save things between us. You, me and Isabel are bonded together for life whether you want that or not. We don't need issues between any of us, got it?" Max's voice was dripping with authority. If being nice to Michael wasn't going to work then he was going to assume the position of king. Michael was beneath him in that way. He had to listen to what Max had to say then.

"Yeah, boss, I got it. So what's up? What do you want?"

"Liz actually wanted me to invite you to the Crashdown today. She wants you to meet a new friend of hers. The girl is nice, Michael. I've met her. I think you'd like her." Max presumed to tell him all about Maria. If Michael would give Maria a chance then they would get along great. Michael wasn't too good at giving people chances though.

"Yeah, that's just what I need. Another person to add to my long list of friends. I don't think so, Maxwell." Michael picked up his pace, Max speeding up to stay with him. Liz had specifically told him not to accept no for answer so he wasn't going to. One way or another Michael would be meeting them at the Crashdown later. Liz would be extremely angry if Max didn't come through for her, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Come on, Michael. Iz will be there. She really wants to see you. Alex and Kyle also want to know how you are doing. You've basically been secluding yourself from us. They are worried about you. It would mean a lot to them if you came. If for nothing else then to at least show them that you care."

"But I don't."

"Michael, don't make me do it. You know I don't want to. We are all meeting at the Crashdown around six. Can I count on you to be there?" Max gave him a warning look, indicating what was coming next.

"You know, Max, on this planet you are not the king. You can't keep ordering me around like you are." Michael pointed out, wanting to let his friend in on the fact that he didn't appreciate always being told what to do by someone who was as unsure of himself as he was. Michael lived on his own for a reason. He never was good with answering to authority, and it became frustrating when he was forced to listen to Max always bring up his "royal status".

"Are you going to be there, Michael? You need to be there." Max insisted, sending a firm glance in Michael's direction. Michael only rolled his eyes. He knew that Max wasn't going to give up; he never did. What was the point in going around in circles with him?

Michael growled, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Fine, Max, I'll go, but I'm only staying for five minutes. And I'm only going because you so generously insisted. Otherwise, I wouldn't have given the café a second glance as I was walked passed it, got it?" Max laughed at Michael's sarcastic humor. Holding his smile, Max nodded before leaving his friend alone. 

"See you later, Michael. Oh and by the way, I order you to at least try to have some fun tonight."

"Not a chance!" Michael called after him and groaned as a whole new kind of dread flooded him. The last thing he wanted was to sit around at a booth with a bunch of people and a fake smile plastered on his face. Liz should have known him better than that. She should have known that he wouldn't enjoy what she was setting up. Why did it matter so much that he meet this girl anyway? What was really going to come from him meeting one of Liz's loopy friends? Nothing that Liz was hoping for, that was for sure. It wasn't difficult to figure how just what his friend's girlfriend was up to. And Michael wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.


	5. Chapter 5

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: I know I've been updating like crazy because it's summer and I'm a bum. I have nothing but time on my hands. I want to warn you though. I am prone to get serious writer's block so if by some chance I don't update in a while, you'll know why. If that happens I would love to hear ideas on where I should take it. With that said, I hope you enjoy! Michael and Maria finally meet! And keep sending feedback. I love it!

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 5

Michael stood outside the Crashdown Café, looking through the window at the people who expected him to be there. They were all gathered around one booth, chairs pulled up to seat the people that didn't fit. They were laughing at something, making him dread actually showing up more and more. He began wondering why he even came. Just because he told Max that he'd come didn't mean he actually had to. .. But it did. Max had wanted to include him or he wouldn't have asked so it was only fair that he came out of respect. He didn't always see eye to eye with Max, but he had always respected him.

"Michael!" Liz squealed as she spotted him enter the café. Seeing him walk through the door sent her into a fit of happiness. Her plan might actually work. She hadn't expected him to come but now that he had, it was all over. Better yet, once he met Maria, it would be all over.

"Chill. It's not like I actually wanted to. Max forced me into it." Michael grabbed a chair, placing it in the small space that Alex and Kyle had made for him. Liz was the person he was trying to avoid the most. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl, she was just so damn happy all of the time. It got really annoying really fast.

"Well, at least you came, man. It's good to see you." Kyle smiled in Michael's direction, patting his friend on the back. "It seems like it's been forever since we all sat like this, don't you think?" he looked around the table to see that everyone was nodding along with him, except for Michael and Maria. Maria didn't know what the old times were like and Michael just didn't care enough to reminisce along with them.. "It's kind of nice to have things back to the way they used to be, if only for a short while."

When Kyle stopped speaking, Liz quickly jumped at the opportunity to introduce Michael to Maria. Silence had fell between the group and it didn't look like anyone was willing to break it. "Michael, I want to introduce you to someone." Liz saw him roll his eyes, but chose to ignore it and continue. "Maria, this is Michael Guerin. Michael, this is Maria DeLuca." she watched as Maria raised slightly and leaned over the table to shake Michael's hand.

"We've met before." Michael gazed back at her with confusion, hesitantly placing his hand in hers. "Unofficially of course. Remember? You left me deserted in the halls." Maria laughed to let Michael know that she wasn't angry about it.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Michael raised his hand to itch his brow nervously. "I was just kind of in a hurry. I have class, you know." Maria was beautiful. He had to give Liz credit for knowing that he'd find her attractive. She was more observant than he had originally thought.

Liz was so predictable, though. He knew before stepping into the café why he was here. Liz loved setting people up. She had tried to set him up with a number of girls. It was obvious why she had invited everyone here tonight as well. Liz wanted everyone to witness what she thought would be love in the making, but knowing that made him determined not to fall for Maria. It didn't matter how beautiful he thought she was. He wasn't going to let a girl that Liz picked out for him be the love of his life. Liz would never let him forget that if he did.

Maria nodded, sitting back down in her seat. "Class, huh? From what these people have said about you, I would think that class wasn't your first priority when it came to school."

"Yeah, well, it's not but I don't want to get expelled. People in this town would love that. They are all waiting for it."

"Michael, stop." Isabel warned when she noticed the bitterness in his voice. Michael had always believed that the town of Roswell was out to get him. If anything, though, the town sympathized with him. They knew what he had been through. His hard life was probably one of the biggest reasons Principal Forrester continued to allow him to stay in school instead of just expelling him like he had threatened to do so many times.

Michael turned to Max. He didn't like where this was headed. Isabel was getting demanding and he didn't really want to fight anyone tonight. "All right, Max. I came. I met her. Can I leave now, Your Majesty? Or would that piss off the king?" Okay, maybe that was a lie. Michael was always ready for a fight.

Although he had asked a question, Michael didn't wait for an answer and ignored the nervous glances Isabel and Max were casting around the table. He scooted his chair back and began to walk away despite everyone calling after him. He came. He didn't see why he couldn't leave. Michael knew things were going to end up this way. They always did, but he came anyway. He came because Max asked him to. That, in itself, should give him the right to leave whenever he pleased.


	6. Chapter 6

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: I am expecting that updates will be coming in a little slower now, and I want to give you that heads up. This chapter was hard for me to write and I don't really know why. I want to warn that although this chapter is not bad, it's my best work either. Anyways, keep sending feedback and I'll try to keep the updates coming daily. (No promises though, kay?)

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 6

Isabel laid with Alex on his bed, her head resting on his chest, their hands intertwined together. Guilt was quickly building up inside of her as they both laid in silence, just merely enjoying each other's company. In the past couple of days, she and Alex had hardly spent any time together and when they did, her focus was never really with him. Just the fact that Maria had come into town so unexpectedly worried her. 

"Alex?" she spoke softly, smiling as his name rolled off of her tongue. It felt so good to just say his name. She could remember how long it had taken them to actually declare themselves as an official couple. She was never really willing to give him a chance until he made her realize that he deserved one. He never gave up on her. It was because of his persistent nature that they were so happily in love now, and she felt compelled to thank God every day for that.

"Hmm?" his hum rang in her ears and she smiled all over again. Alex really was the best thing that could ever happen to her.

"Alex, what do you think of Maria? I mean, what do you really think of her?" her smile faded. Isabel didn't want to bring up Maria when, for the first time, they were actually spending quality time alone together, but she couldn't help herself. She needed to know. Was she the only one that thought Maria had come because of the speculation that aliens might live here? The thought of Maria coming to Roswell to hurt them constantly plagued her and she needed to know if she was the only one worried about it. 

Alex sighed, taking his time to answer her question, needing the time to gather his words before speaking them to her. He knew what Isabel wanted to hear. She wanted, and almost needed, to believe that Maria was out to get them. He couldn't tell her that, though, because he didn't believe that. He was positive that Maria wasn't here with any malicious intent. She had just merely moved because her mom was offered a different job. She was just as young as they were. What would Maria gain by tracking down aliens anyway?

"Honestly?" he felt her head nod as it continued to rest on his chest. Alex gazed up at the white ceiling, his hand retaking hers. "I think that Maria is great. She's a nice girl, Isabel. I wish you would just give her a chance."

"But do you think she has a reason for being here? Liz seems to be getting really close to her, Alex. What if she's just here to fool us all? Do you think that could be it? Do you think that she came to Roswell to fool us into telling her about us?" Alex could hear the worry in her voice and his heart broke. He would never know what it was like to be them; always having to watch their backs, not knowing who would be coming after them next. He didn't know if he would be able to live a life like that. Of course Alex was always apart of any alien-related dangerous situation, but his life was never actually in danger. No one ever came to Roswell in search of him.

Alex placed his hands on Isabel's shoulders, gently easing her upward so that he could look into her eyes. He shook his head, cupping Isabel's face in his hands. "Maria is not here to hurt you, Iz. I know that." he kissed her lips tenderly, wanting to set her mind at ease. He knew his kiss wasn't going to magically erase any fear of Maria that she had, but it was the best he could offer at that moment. He didn't know what else to do.

"What makes you so sure?" she gazed back at him, his hands still cupping her face, her eyes almost pleading with him to convince her about Maria. She wanted to believe that Maria was good. The truth was, Isabel liked her. Maria had been nothing but kind to Isabel since she arrived in Roswell, but she couldn't help but worry about her. It was still just so strange that Maria just showed up in Roswell.

"If she wanted to know about you wouldn't she be drilling us for alien information? The only time I've ever heard her say anything about aliens was when she was explaining to us that her mother made alien memorabilia and sold it to stores to sell. She doesn't know anything that we haven't told her, and she can't know anything about you unless we tell her." she continued to look into his eyes and saw how much he believed what he was saying. He truly didn't think that Maria was here to do harm to them. Alex was convinced that she was here because her mom was offered a better job. Isabel's eyebrows furrowed. Come to think of it, no one really seemed suspicious of Maria except for her.

"I hope you're right, Alex. I want to believe that Maria is harmless. I want to believe that she's just a normal teenager girl without a hidden agenda. You know that, right?" she watched as he nodded, a look of concern still evident in her features. She couldn't help it. No matter how hard she tried not to, Maria just made her worry.

"Promise me that you'll give her a chance, Isabel. I don't want you to worry because there is nothing to worry about. Open up to her and you'll see that." Alex suggested, taking both of his girlfriends' hands in his. He could see in her eyes that she wanted to believe him. She liked Maria and she wanted to think that she was good. But so many people had come into her life that were there for the wrong reasons. He could understand why it was so hard for her to trust someone that just appeared a few days ago.

"I'll try, Alex. I'll really try." she forced a smile, kissing his lips to add reassurance. She really was going to try and she wanted him to believe that. Maria didn't deserve to be treated the way Isabel was treating her. Isabel had no right to pre-judge her and now she knew that.

She didn't see the point in worrying when no one else was. She had talked to both Max and Michael earlier and they insisted that she harmless. Alex had just conformed everything that Max and Michael had said to her, all three of them wanting Isabel to view her openly. The closest people around her didn't see Maria as a threat so why should she?


	7. Chapter 7

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: So here's the next chapter. Be patient with me. I know my writing is starting to suffer but I'm having a hard time writing this. I know where I want to take it, but it's still hard to write that. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up my momentum soon, but I'm not going to make any promises. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this and keep sending feedback. I love to hear what ya'll think.

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 7

"Michael?" he stood at his locker, going through the books that rested in it when he heard her. Michael turned to see Maria standing only inches away from him. His features visibly softened when he was able to focus on her and he hated that she had that kind of affect on him so soon. It was going to be really hard staying away from her when every time he saw her, he forgot that he needed to. Nothing that they could share would have been good for either of them. Not when she didn't know who he actually was. Let me rephrase that. Not when she didn't know what he actually was. 

Maria watched him as he turned to face her, her breath catching in her throat. She suddenly wondered why seeing his face had made her do that. Since their first meeting in the same halls that they now stood, she had always thought that Michael was good looking. She hadn't realized, though, that her feelings for him went deeper than that until now. "Mrs. Andrews wanted me to give this to you. You left before she could hand it back to you." Maria pulled herself from her thoughts, remembering just why she had approached him in the first place.

"What's this?" he asked, flipping the paper over to reveal an essay that he had written last week. Michael scanned over the contents slowly, his gaze finally landing on the grade when he turned to the last page. An F. How could he have gotten an F on a paper the he was so sure was great?

"It's your essay." he nodded as she told him. Maria watched as he observed his paper, unsure of what to do or say next. She didn't want to walk away from him because Liz had wanted her to reach out to Michael. It was obvious that her new friend was hoping for a love connection, but she couldn't really say that she was against the idea either. Michael was cute. And the whole bad boy thing was a major turn on. "So how'd you do?" she blurted out as he turned to walk away from her, picking up her pace to stay beside him.

"Not good." he handed the paper over to her, giving her unvoiced permission to view the grade herself. "I don't understand, though. My paper wasn't that bad. She must want me to fail as much as everyone else in this damn town does." She read over the paper as he spoke, choking down laughter. She couldn't believe that he had actually written some of the things that he had. Romeo and Juliet were much more than just butt buddies.

"Not everything is a personal attack against you, Michael. Maybe your writing just wasn't as good as you thought." Maria spoke truthfully. Part of her wondered if he had even tried to write the paper. Nobody's writing was this bad when they actually tried, right?

"So you're one of them? Figures." he glanced over at her. She had just moved here. How could they have gotten her to that quickly?

"One of them?" Maria laughed. "This grade isn't some conspiracy of the town. No one here thinks you are going to fail, Michael. Maybe if you would apply yourself a little more then you'd see that. You are capable of getting good grades. You have a lot of potential, Michael. Underneath all of those snide and sarcastic remarks is someone that is capable of writing a good essay of Romeo and Juliet."

"I would say you sounded like my mother, but I don't have one." his voice was dripping with sarcasm. Maria rolled her eyes. Michael was back. Throughout the conversation, she had managed to get normal dialogue from him without having to worry about a sarcastic remark as an answer. It disappointed her that the entire conversation couldn't have followed that path.

"You want some help with this?" she asked, ignoring his previous comment. Maria stopped abruptly when Michael did. He turned face her, obviously confused as he stared blankly into her eyes. It was then that she remembered that she had forgot to tell him. "Oh, Mrs. Andrews also said that she was going to give you a chance to make this up. She is going to allow you to rewrite this. If you do better on this essay she said she was going to put that grade in the grade book instead of the F. So what do you say? You want some help in writing it?"

Michael waited before answer her, his mind review the pros and cons of the situation. Maria helping him would mean that they would be spending alone time together and although it wasn't necessarily a good thing, it wasn't a bad thing either. He needed this second chance to pass, but then again he had vowed to stay away from Maria.

Pushing his vow to the back of his mind, Michael was going to agree to this. Maria was a smart girl. He could really use her help in writing this. He couldn't let some stupid vow determine whether he pass or fail. Besides. Maria was only going to help him with English. Nothing else would happen.

"Okay. Yeah, I could use some help in writing this. You'll do fine." Michael nodded, not really knowing if he was making the right decision. Would he be strong enough to push Maria away if the situation came to that? 

When Michael returned her smile, Maria melted. She had dated many guys back in New York, but she could honestly say that none had affected her as much as Michael. She never really thought of herself as the type of person that could feel so strongly about someone when she had only met him a couple day ago. This type of thing had never happened to her before.

Maybe it was the fact that he was a complete mystery to her. She didn't know anything about him and it didn't seem like he would be confiding in her anytime soon. Maria knew absolutely nothing about this man and that intrigued her. 

"Well, my mom has to go drop a few things tonight. You could come by around six. She won't be home so we'll have peace to work in. Does that sound okay?"

"Yeah," he stated. "So I'll see you around six?" 

Michael waited until she nodded before turning to leave. What would happen tonight? Had he made a mistake by agreeing to this? It was just a harmless study date, right? Nothing would happen that he would regret. He and Maria couldn't get any closer than what he would allow, right? 

Questions plagued him, but something deep inside of him told him that everything would be okay. Why would it be so wrong if he and Maria did get close anyway? The only thing that was stopping him from pursuing her was the fact he was completely different life form, but Max and Liz were okay. Isabel and Alex had been able to make it work as well. Was he willing to chance everything though? When Maria was with him, Michael was forced to fight the urge to tell her everything about him. He knew that telling her wasn't even a possibility. Max and Isabel would never go for that. But did she really even have to know?


	8. Chapter 8

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: Okay, so I think that this chapter is a little bit better than the previous ones. I've given you all what you've been asking for and I hope you like it. Maria and Michael are alone. Will he even try to resist her? Read and find out. Anyway, keep the feedback coming. Until next time! Enjoy!

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 8

Michael could feel his heart beating out of his chest as he knocked on her door. He didn't understand why he was so nervous. He didn't have any reason to be. But he was and he couldn't shake it. He could hear her movement through the door and his heartbeat quickened even more. Why was he so nervous? Michael had only come to study. Studying was not meant to make anyone nervous.

Maria opened the door to let Michael in, knowing that it was him who stood outside. When she saw him, she couldn't help but smile. He looked different from his normal attire. It seemed like he had actually tried to dress to impress. His hair was gelled, but it still fell nicely around his face. He wore a pair of khaki pants and a short sleeve button up shirt. He looked good. I don't think anyone would have denied that fact.

"Michael, hi." she spoke up first, finally getting the feeling that Michael wasn't going to. Something seemed different about him. He seemed almost … nervous. But that couldn't have been it. What reason would he have to be nervous? "Come in and we can get started."

He walked passed her without saying a word, taking a seat on plush couch that sat in her living room. He was almost afraid to speak, knowing that his voice could crack at any given time. That always happened when he got nervous. There was no way he could control it so he didn't want to risk talking until he had calmed down.

"First I want to talk a little about Romeo and Juliet." Maria sat next to him, rather close, and Michael swallowed the huge lump that was rising in his throat. She had been the only thought in his head all day. He had constantly been weighing the pros and cons of getting involved with her since he had talked to her in the hall. "Tell me what you think about the story, Michael. I want to get an idea of where you were coming from when you wrote this." she picked up the essay that he had dropped on the coffee table when he sat.

"Romeo and Juliet?" his voice cracked and Michael mentally cursed himself. Why couldn't he just pull himself together? She couldn't possibly have that big of a hold over him. Not when he had just barely met the girl.

Michael straightened himself up and forced his face to hardened before opening his mouth to speak. It wasn't until he had shifted away from Maria that he had realized that he was leaning so closely into her. He needed to the be the old Michael. The defensive, sarcastic Michael. The Michael that didn't get panicked when forced into a situation with an unbelievably gorgeous girl.

"Romeo was just some guy that wanted a piece. He was the typical male and he saw a pretty girl. It didn't matter that she was half his age and it was completely illegal. When he looked at her, all he saw was a good lay." Michael smiled, glad that the old Michael had come through for him. Deep down, he knew that Romeo and Juliet went much deeper than what he had said but it was definitely a Michael statement. He was back and because of that, his nerves began to settle.

"Not exactly, Michael." Maria giggled, shaking her head at him. This man that she had met only a couple days ago never ceased to amaze her. He said what he thought and that was the bottom line. In a way, she admired that. He didn't care about what people would think or if they would be offended. He said what he felt and that was one of the many things that she found so attractive about him. "Yes, it's true that Romeo was quite a bit older than Juliet, but I don't think that there was a law against that then. In fact, Juliet's mother was trying to marry her daughter off to an older man."

"What's so special about this sappy play anyway? All you girls think that it's the epitome of romance but how can it be that when the two kill themselves in the end. Death is not romantic." Michael's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he unconsciously began to voice his frustrations about the tragedy.

"Romeo and Juliet is a story of romance, Michael." Maria turned into him, leaning in closer so that she could portray what she was going to say. Michael instinctively turned into her, their knees resting against the others. "Death itself was not what was so romantic about the storyline. It was what it symbolized. Love. Two people that were forbidden to love each came together and made the ultimate sacrifice so they could both be together without everyone passing judgment over their relationship. They didn't like hiding their relationship from the world and in Heaven, they wouldn't have to. I think that was what Shakespeare was wanting you to think when he wrote the play."

Michael was drawn in to what Maria was saying and for the first time he realized just why "Romeo and Juliet" was such a well liked play. "I guess that storyline can relate to anyone's life at one point in time or another." Maria remained silent, prodding him to continue with her eyes, afraid that if she spoke Michael would withdrawal from her. He was beginning to open up to her and she didn't want to be the one that stopped that.

"Forbidden love. I know I can relate to that. Not being able to fully open yourself up to love someone because you have so many secrets that she couldn't know. That she wouldn't understand if she did know." Michael moved in closer to her. He knew what he was doing was probably going to get him into trouble later, but this moment would make everything worth it.

Maria licked her lips when she parted them, still afraid to make any sudden movement. She didn't want anything to interrupt this moment. Not when she wanted to kiss him so badly. "I think you are finally beginning to understand it." her voice quivered, but she didn't notice. She wasn't concentrating on anything else but his eyes. His doe eyes that would have been able to drown anything that gazed into them.

"Maria," Michael whispered, closing in the distance between them. He cupped her face in his hands and brought her lips to his. Maybe he shouldn't have been giving into her, but the fact that he could potentially be putting her life in danger didn't worry him anymore. He didn't want to get her involved in everything that would undoubtedly come their way, but he needed Maria. She complimented him in so many ways. She was the best thing that could happen to him and he realized that now. It didn't matter who or what tried to stand in their way because he'd always have Maria to help him fight through it, even if she didn't exactly know who … or what she was fighting for.


	9. Chapter 9

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: Here's another update, as promised. It's not that great, but I was having a hard time in getting this together. I'm still asking that all of my readers take some time after reading to send me a little feedback. It keeps me motivated and right now, motivation is what I need. I'm getting lazy and if I see that a lot of you really enjoy my writing, it would give me more reason to write. Anyways, no pressure! Keep reading and enjoy!

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 9

Maria entered the Crashdown Café, her eyes scanning the small cafe quickly, hoping that she'd find Liz taking a break. The kiss had been replaying itself over and over again in her mind since it had happened and she felt like if she didn't tell someone soon, she would burst. She was happy. She wanted everyone to know that.

Taking a seat in a nearby booth, Maria spotted Liz cleaning the milkshake machine and decided to wait. She smiled as she watched her friend. She would never be caught dead working behind that counter. Pale green wasn't her color and she didn't want to risk anyone seeing her in that hideous uniform. On anyone other than her friend, that uniform would have been completely unflattering. But it suited Liz well.

Liz looked up when she felt someone watching her and Maria sat up in her seat, soon waving her over with Liz' eyes landed on Maria. "Liz, come here. I have to tell you something." Liz could hear the excitement in Maria's voice and she perked up, knowing that Maria had planned a study date last night with Michael. It had to have been about that. Liz had a knack for reading people and as she looked at Maria from behind the counter, she saw what she wanted to know. Something had happened last night, she could tell.

Liz dropped what she was doing and shouted that she was taking a break before hurrying over to the booth and taking a seat across from Maria, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Is this about last night? Something happened between you and Michael, didn't it?" Liz asked knowingly, her own excitement present in her voice.

Maria looked at Liz, not trying to mask the huge smile that had been gracing her face since the kiss. She couldn't help it. Moving away from the only people she had ever known wasn't as bad as she would have thought. She had met lifelong friends within hours of her arrival in a strange, new town. And now. Now there was Michael. Maria couldn't have been happier that her mom and her had moved. Things didn't usually go this smoothly, especially when moving from one extreme to another, but everything just seemed to be falling into place so perfectly. 

Maria nodded slowly. "Something happened, Liz. Something really happened."

"Did I miss something?" Startled, Maria and Liz looked up to see Isabel standing at the end of their table, gazing down at them both expectantly after catching only Maria's words. "What happened?" Isabel seated herself next to Liz, who had scooted over to make room.

Slightly shocked by Isabel's sudden change of attitude, Maria could only stare back at her, her smile falling only slightly. Isabel seemed different. She hadn't said much, but Maria could just tell that her outlook at changed. She didn't seem suspicious at all, but instead was generally interested in their gossip. Maria didn't know who or what had caused this change, but she was sure she was going to like it and be thankful for that. Maybe now Isabel would actually give her a chance. 

"You haven't missed anything yet." Liz began, pulling Maria back into reality. "Maria was just about to tell me what happened between her and Michael last night." Isabel continued to peer over at Maria, her expression making up confusion. She hadn't even known that she and Michael had been together last night. "Maria was helping Michael with an essay that Mrs. Andrews was allowing him to rewrite. Something happened between them."

Liz's attention was now focused on Maria as both her and Isabel awaited an answer. Maria intertwined her hands together, laying them down on the table, the smile that had momentarily disappeared when she saw Isabel was no resurfacing. "We kissed." she stated simply, looking up to see excitement build in their faces. She hurriedly spoke before they had a chance to interrupt. "The kiss was perfect. He was not the guy that you say he is. He was different. He was sweet, caring, and so vulnerable. He opened up to me and made me feel like I was something. I get the feeling that he doesn't open up to that many people."

Isabel agreed with her. "He doesn't, Maria. Max and I are probably the only ones he ever talks to. You must really mean something to him. Michael doesn't just open up to anybody." That was the truth. It was even hard for her to pry something out of Michael sometimes. That was why it shocked Isabel so much to know that he had opened up to her. Michael must have seen something in Maria that Isabel had missed. Maybe she was wrong about her all along. Maybe Maria really was never there to hurt them. Maybe she really knew nothing about them.

Liz nodded. "Isabel's right. I've been trying for so long to get Michael to trust me, but he doesn't trust too many people. He's had a hard life and I guess, that has shaped him into the type of person he is. He must really see the good in you, Maria. I don't know of any other way to explain it." Liz looked up to see that people were filing into the Crashdown. Glancing down at her watch, she realize that it was going on noon. "I've got to get back to work. It's lunch time so everyone will be coming at once. I'm really glad that Michael has found someone he can trust in you, Maria. I'm happy for the both of you." she smiled down at the two girls she would be leaving behind before taking out her order pad and heading toward the nearest table.

Silence fell between them as awkwardness filled the air. Maria and Isabel didn't know each other at all and there they both sat, left to carry on a conversation. Both were unsure of what to do or say to ease the tension, but only Isabel realized that their being left alone was a good thing. This would have been a perfect time to apologize to Maria. If she was going to view her openly, she needed to clear the air first.

"Maria," Isabel spoke up suddenly, and Maria looked up at her from gazing down at the wood on the table. Isabel's voice was low and serious and that confused Maria a bit. The atmosphere around them had changed quickly. They had gone from Maria's confession of the kiss to something that obviously needed to be taken really seriously in a matter of minutes. "I want to apologize to you for the last couple of weeks."

Maria's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What did Isabel possibly have to be sorry about? She hadn't really done anything wrong. "What's the apology for, Isabel? I don't think you owe me one."

"For the way I've been acting toward you. I know you've noticed it." Isabel saw Maria's eyes dart back to the wooden table, indicating that she knew what Isabel was talking about. She had noticed Isabel's suspicions, but then again, she didn't try to express her concern in a subtle way.

"You don't have to apologize for anyth--."

"Yes, I do." Isabel interrupted and waited until Maria looked back up at her before continuing. "You didn't deserve to be treated the way I treated you and I'm sorry. It's just that I guess, I'm not open to trusting many people either. It was so odd that you just showed up and for some reason that made me suspicious of you. I'm sorry that I pre-judged you and I would like to give a friendship between us a chance. I think that we would have a lot in common. What do you say?" Isabel smiled hopefully, extending her hand to Maria.

Maria contemplated Isabel's words before taking her hand. Her explanation didn't completely make sense. Was she suspicious of everyone that moved into town? And what would make her that way? Something wasn't completely adding up in Isabel's words and that confused Maria. Had she had a hard life as well? Was that what was making her so suspicious of people?

"I guess it's understandable why you had concerns about me. It is kind of odd that I just show up, but I really had no choice in the matter." Maria began, placing her hand in Isabel's, forcing Isabel's questionable excuse to the back of her mind. Isabel may have been hiding something, but if she wanted Maria to know then she would have told her. Maria didn't want to push her on anything too soon.


	10. Chapter 10

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: Here is yet another chapter for your enjoyment. I'm still asking for **more feedback **from my readers. I really do want to know what all of you think.

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 10

Michael found himself gazing inside at her through the window, not paying any attention to Max as he continued to ramble. He was just walking along with Alex and Max when he saw her and stopped suddenly. He didn't know exactly what made him do it and he didn't know exactly what to make out about last night. Were they officially a couple now or should they sit down together and verbally declare it? 

"Michael? Were you listening to me?" Max waved his hand in front of his friends face, forcing Michael's attention back on him. He looked at Max, rolling his eyes before continuing on his way, partially thankful that Max had made him realize that he was actually staring.

"Sorry, Maxwell. What were you saying?"

Max let out an exhausted sigh, his laugh a little bitter. Figures. He should have known. When did Michael ever listen to him when he had something important to say? The last twenty minutes had all been for nothing and now, he felt compelled not to tell Michael what he had said earlier. If he didn't listen the first time, why should it be repeated for him?

"Look, never mind." Max's memory suddenly came back to him. "So what happened last night? Why were you supposed to go over to Maria's anyway?"

When her name hit his ears, her face flashed in his head and he visibly smiled. Max and Alex both exchanged a look of surprise. Michael never smiled over anything, let alone a girl. But Maria. She must really be getting to him. "Well, you know that assignment Mrs. Andrews gave us last week? The one over Romeo and Juliet?" Both Alex and Max nodded, remaining silent, prodding their friend to continue. "Maria offered to help me rewrite it for a better grade. I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to pass so I agreed and things kind of escalated from there."

"When you say escalated. What exactly to you mean?" Alex wondered, his curiosity getting the best of him. Something inside of him told him that last night was more than just a study date.

"I mean we kissed." Max burst out laughing and Michael glared at him in offense. Sure, Michael hadn't been with too many girls, but it didn't mean he was incapable of getting one to like him. "I'm glad to see that you are amused by all of this."

Max opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by Alex. "Speaking of Romeo and Juliet. I guess you and Maria have your own little star-crossed love thing now, right? You know, with the whole alien thing." Alex lowered his voice to keep anyone else from hearing his words. The last thing he needed were alien obsessed quacks thinking that aliens truly did live in Roswell. It would have started a whole new round of problems for all of them.

Michael and Max gazed over at Alex, trying to hold in their laughter. "Since when do alien romances have anything to do with star-crossed love, Alex? My parent's aren't forbidding me to see her. Remember? I don't have any." Michael chuckled and again Max and Alex exchanged a look of surprise. Michael never laughed either. Mr. Stonewall didn't seem as hard a concrete anymore. Could Maria actually have gotten to him in one night?

"So how are things now?" Max asked as the continued walking, his hands waving as he tried to express what he meant non-verbally. When he received nothing but confusion from Michael, he decided that he should probably clarify. "What I mean is, where do you and Maria stand now? Are you dating or what?"

Michael could have answered honestly, confiding to his best friends that Maria was perfect in every way for him, but that just wasn't Michael. Michael was not supposed to be affected this easily. If he had let on that Maria had changed him so quickly, he would have never been able to live that down. "What, Maxwell? You think that because of one night I'm going to start writing poetry and love songs? Don't think so. It was just a kiss, and that's all it will ever be. A moment of weakness really."

Max rolled his eyes as Alex laughed. They both knew better. Michael wasn't fooling them in the least bit, but they decided to humor him anyway. Maybe he wasn't ready to face the fact that a girl could hold power over him. For so long Michael was the one that controlled his every move. He had to have been in denial or something of that sort. Both Alex and Max knew, however, just how much power the girl had in the relationship. They knew that Michael would see that eventually.

"But say that that kiss did mean something. Would it be so bad if Maria and I did get together?" Michael spoke quietly, his eyes darting around nervously, scanning everything in sight. He did everything he could to keep his gaze from Alex and Max. If they saw into his eyes, they'd know for sure.

Max laughed, placing a friendly hand on Michael's shoulder. It was only a matter of time before Michael began declaring his undying love for Maria. Looks like Liz had been right all along. Michael and Maria were perfect for each other. "Of course not, Michael. You deserve to be happy too. Isabel and I are." he stole a quick glance at Alex before fixing his gaze back on Michael. Alex was standing taller now, a goofy smile giving him away. His head was slowly beginning to swell because of Max's comment. He truly was the source of Isabel's happiness.

"We don't have to tell her about us, you know. She doesn't really need to know anything. I kind of like her thinking I'm normal. It almost makes me feel that way." Michael spoke quickly, almost like he had thought that Max's last comment had been negative. Almost like he was trying to prove to Max that they wouldn't be in danger if he and Maria did get together. Max didn't disapprove of them, though. That fact slowly came to register in Michael's mind.

"I think that you are right, Michael. She definitely doesn't need to know anything about us. I trust your judgment in people, but we still don't know her that well. Maybe we should wait before we even consider letting her in on us. You know, just to get to know her better."

Both Alex and Michael nodded in agreement. Both knew that Maria wasn't there to harm them, but when dealing with the topic of them being aliens, they needed to be safe. No one knew her inside and out, and although there wasn't a person that would be willing to admit it, they all were just a little bit suspicious of her. They didn't trust her completely. Not yet.


	11. Chapter 11

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: Just a little warning. These next two chapters might not be all that great because I wrote them in such a rush, I guess. I hope you like them though. Anyways keep reading and enjoy! Don't forget feedback!

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 11**Months Later**

Maria looked into the mirror as she put on the last piece of her uniform. It seemed almost ironic how things had played out. She could remember sitting in the café months earlier vowing that she'd never wear the uniform that now graced her body, but things had changed so much since then. Maria wasn't as ashamed as she once thought she would have been. She was now a proud Crashdown Café employee, all due to Liz's persuasion of course. 

Keeping her eyes on her reflection, Maria adjusted her alien antennas, her mind drifting to Michael. He had come to her a couple of nights after their kiss. He had wanted to end things before they even got started, but not everything always goes according to plan…

__

Maria sat at her vanity near the window, brushing her hair before bed. Michael hadn't spoken to her in a couple of days and it seemed almost impossible to find him. She wanted to talk to him so badly, to see where things stood with them, but she had only known him for a week at most. She didn't know where he lived and his number wasn't listed in the phone book.

A small tapping on the window caught her attention and she turned in her seat to see what was the cause of it. It was Michael. The rain outside was beating down on him as he pressed his face into the window so he could see her. Maria smiled. He looked better than she had ever seen him.

Slowly she rose and made her way over to the window, sliding it up to let him in. "Michael?" she helped him climb into her room. "What are you doing out there? It's pouring outside."

"It's raining?" Michael glanced at the now closed window to see raindrops hitting the glass. "I didn't notice." he shrugged in a zombie-like state and walked over to her bed, taking a seat. "Maria," his tone was serious as he rose to his feet, unable to sit comfortably. "we need to talk."

"I agree." Maria nodded. "I've been looking for you everywhere, but you are a hard guy to track down. No one would tell me where you lived so I couldn't come see you." she glided up to him, her hands slowly snaking around his neck.

"Yeah, I asked them not to." Michael focused his gaze on the ceiling, seeming to be uncomfortable in her arms. "We can't do this, Maria." his hands slowly lifted to pull hers off of him. "You and me? This? It would never work."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she frowned in confusion. Isabel and Liz had told her that Michael could be confusing, but now she fully understood them. The night of their kiss he had seemed like he had wanted nothing more than to just kiss her. Now he was going to call everything off. Could his feelings really change that quickly?

"So what about the kiss, Michael? It changed everything for me. Did it mean anything to you?" her voice remained calm. It was a simple question. She only wanted a simple answer.

Michael shifted on his feet, shoving his hand deep into his pockets. He continued to avoid her gaze at all costs, knowing what would happen if he looked into her eyes. "That kiss was how I felt at the moment, but I've done some thinking. I've talked to Max and I just don't know if this will ever work. It's not like I don't want it too. It just won't."

"Michael," she cupped his face in her hands, forcing his eyes to meet hers. "at least look at me when breaking my heart." she offered a small smile to let him know that she was just joking. Her smile fell, however, when he didn't return it. "Do you really want things to be this way? I'm not going to lie to you. I'm disappointed. I thought that we were both feeling the same thing."

_He broke away from her, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. He wasn't going to be able to do it. He couldn't just walk away from her. "I'm still feeling everything I felt that night, Maria." he sighed in defeat. "The truth is that when I was looking in at you tonight, you were the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You still are."_

"So what's the problem?" she cautiously turned him around to look at her. 

Starting at her shoulders, Michael's hands ran down her arms, taking her hands. He slowly lifted them to his mouth, kissing each one before speaking. "I don't want to get you involved in my complicated life. You don't need that kind of a burden."

Maria stared at her hands in his. "Shouldn't that be my decision, Michael? It's my life. Shouldn't I have a say in all of this?"

Michael smiled, dropping his head slightly before nodding. "So what is your say in all of this?"

"I say I want to be involved in your complicated life."

Michael placed Maria's hair behind her ears, his hand cupping around her jaw line. He gradually closed the small gap between them, leaving a soft kiss on her lips. "I hope you remember what you've just told me, Maria. You said you wanted to be involved." And as unexpectedly as he had come, Michael had turned and left, without giving her a chance to reply.

His last words that night still confused her. It had almost sounded like being involved with him would be a bad thing, but she couldn't possibly see how it could. Only good things have happened since that night. Michael was doing much better in school. He actually seemed interested now, like he had a reason to try. Could she have been that reason?

Liz' voice had freed Maria from her thoughts that she hadn't realized she was so caught up in. "Michael is sitting in a booth with Max and Isabel, Maria. He seems to be looking for something. Could it be you?" Liz smiled as Maria blushed, shutting her locker door. She pulled the bow on her apron tighter before striding past Liz and out into the café area.


	12. Chapter 12

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: Sorry it took me so long to get this update out, but I could never get an ending to the chapter that seemed right. It still doesn't, but I think I've made you all wait long enough. I hope you enjoy it. Keep sending feedback!

****

Unbroken

****

Chapter 12

Michael's eyes scanned the small café, obviously looking for Maria. All he really wanted was just to catch a glimpse of her, but he also hoped he wouldn't. Michael had called Max and Isabel to the café for different reasons; reasons that Maria didn't need to hear. Reasons that, if things went okay with the meeting, she'd find out about soon.

"So, Michael, what's up? Why are we here?" Isabel asked, placing a hand on his in order to draw his attention back to her and her brother. With the way Michael's head was darting around the café, Isabel knew he was searching for Maria and she hated that she was having to stand in the way. But he had worried her on the phone and her curiosity was getting the best of her. Michael wouldn't have confronted them so willingly unless it was important.

"Before I start, I want to ask you both to not interrupt. Let me finish before speaking. Please." Michael waited for both Isabel and Max to nod before continuing. "I want to tell Maria about us." he blurted out quickly and saw that he had caught Isabel and Max off guard. They clearly weren't expecting him to say that, but he could understand why. Michael had always been the one that was the most adamant about keeping their alien status from the rest of the world. He was never happy about Liz and Alex finding out who they were.

Max opened his mouth to speak, but Michael hurriedly cut him off. He didn't want to give Max the chance to refuse before explaining himself fully. "I remember you telling me that we should wait and get to know her, and that's what I've done. I've gotten to know her and I think she deserves to know. I don't like keeping this from her. I don't like keeping anything from her."

"Michael, I understand what you are saying, but I've been thinking about all of this too. I don't think telling her is a good idea. Too many people know already. It wouldn't be safe for us if we let Maria in too. Please understand, Michael."

Michael grew angry. "Understand what? That Alex and Liz are the only exceptions? I've never felt like this about any girl before Maria and I want her to know everything about me. She isn't just some fling, Max. She's more than that and I can't stand not telling her. If anyone came for us, she'd be in danger and not even know it! I wasn't asking your permission, Max. I'm going to tell her. She deserves to know the truth about me." Michael was now more determined than ever. He wasn't about to take no for an answer.

"Mich--"

"He's right, Max." Isabel interrupted, ignoring the stern look that she was now receiving from her brother. Max cared about their safety. She couldn't fault him for that, but Maria needed to know. Michael had made some valid points. "Maria is one of us now. She will be involved in everything that comes our way and she is going to need that warning. This isn't just about our safety anymore, Max. It's about everyone's: Alex, Liz, … and Maria."

Max furrowed his brow in concentration, his mind still holding doubt. Telling Maria could mean exposing them all. Was he ready to do that? Michael and Isabel had both insisted that she needed to know and deep down, he fully realized that they were right. She did need to know. He wouldn't want anyone to be dragged into their problems oblivious to what got them into that position in the first place.

Michael looked away from Max to see Maria exiting the back room. Their eyes met and a slight smile began to build on his lips. She began toward him, but he halted her with his hand. He didn't need her to interrupt them, not until they were completely finished talking and Max had agreed to let him tell her. She nodded and placed herself behind the counter, knowing that he'd come to her when he was done. "So what do you say, Max? Are you going to back me when I tell her?" 

Max shook his head slowly, a smile surfacing. "Tell her, Michael. What I said a while back, I meant it. You do deserve to be happy and Maria needs to know what she's getting herself into."

"Thanks, Maxwell. I appreciate this." He stood, waving to his friends as he left them. He kept his gaze focused on Maria as he neared her, slowly sitting on a stool that surrounded the diner counter. "Maria," she jumped when she heard him and he smiled. "can I see you tonight?"

She turned to face him, his eyes captivating her. Her feelings for Michael had grown so quickly. It scared her a little, but she wasn't going to let that keep her away from him. He always had away of making things better with her and she liked that feeling. "Of course you can." she beamed. "My place or yours?" 

"Mine. I want to do something special for you tonight. I have something I want to tell you." he slowly leaned over to counter to leave a soft kiss on her lips, licking his own when they parted. She smiled at him and he melted. As corny as it may sound, Michael couldn't understand how he could have lived his whole life without Maria in it. "So I'll see you tonight? Seven o'clock. Don't be late." he turned swiftly, without giving her a chance to reply and headed for the door. He had so many things to do before tonight. Everything had to be perfect.


	13. Chapter 13

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will she be able to change Michael Guerin for the better?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: Here's an update with this story. I'm going to try to keep these steady, but no promises. Keep checking back though and please continue to read it. I hope you enjoy the update. I wrote this chapter in kind of a hurry because I wanted to put something new out there for ya'll. So if it sucks, I'm sorry! 

****

In The Name of Love

****

Chapter 13

Maria had been standing outside of Michael's home now for about half an hour, listening to shuffling coming from the other side. Michael was frantically trying to finish things before she arrived. Could this night actually be that important to him?

Mentally debating on whether or not she should knock, Maria slowly lifted her hand to the door. In an instant, the shuffling was replaced by silence, and Maria had to smile at the vision of Michael that formed in her head. He was probably glancing around nervously, wanting to make sure everything was just right before letting her enter. He had really changed over the past few months.

The door slowly opened and dim light replaced her view. Maria's mouth dropped suddenly. She hadn't even stepped inside yet and already the place looked amazing. She could only imagine what it would look like once she did step through the door.

"Michael?" she cautiously stepped into his home, her eyes wondering over the view. In the kitchen was a dining room table cover with a white tablecloth, two burning candles lighting it up. Expensive china and champagne glasses were set up neatly, two white roses acting as the centerpiece. "Wow, how did you get all of this stuff? This is wonderful." she gushed, her gaze moving toward the living room. Assorted candles were scattered all around the room, casting a dark glow on the many red and white rose petals that had been strewn onto the scratched, wooden floor.

"So you like it then?" Michael smiled sheepishly. He was embarrassed and Maria smiled because of that. He wasn't used to going through so much trouble because of a girl. It made her feel special to know that. "Because if you don't, I could --"

"No, Michael, don't do anything. It's perfect." she breathed, her eyes once again scanning her surroundings. Maria wanted only a little longer to take in the sight around her. No guy had ever gone through so much trouble for her. It all seemed so much like a dream.

Finally taking her focus off of Michael's hard work, she turned to him. "So what's this all about anyway? What is it that you wanted to tell me?" she asked, her eyes furrowing in question. It wasn't that she had little faith in the male species. It was just that when they tend to get extravagant with a girl, the news could only have been bad. She didn't necessarily have to have a lot of experience with men to realize that.

Michael shook his head, a small smile forming. "Not yet." he placed a hand on the small of her back and led her to the candlelit dinning table. "After we eat." he helped her sit and placed a cloth napkin in her lap before taking his own seat.

Helping Maria out of her seat, Michael then took her to the living room. She sat down slowly and he followed after her. Both were extremely nervous, each for different reasons. For Maria, it was the moment of truth. Had he done all of this to break her heart? For Michael, it was time to tell all. Would she still love him after she knew everything about him?

They sat in silence for several minutes with Michael trying to avoid Maria's gaze at all cost. He quickly began to doubt telling her. Would it be so bad if she didn't know? If she kept believing that he was normal? At least then he wouldn't lose her. 

But he couldn't just not tell her. Like Isabel had stated before, Maria was apart of this now. If someone came after them, they'd come for her too. It was too late for her to avoid future confrontations. Michael had already brought her into his life without giving her a explanation of what to expect. He had no choice but to at least giving her warning of the inevitable.

With Maria touching his cheek, Michael was instantly brought back to reality. "What's going on, Michael? Is it really that bad?" she stared, wide-eyed, back at him, an eyebrow raised in question. "You are starting to worry me, Michael." a nervous laugh escaped her.

Michael breathed in deeply, taking her hands in his own. "Maria, what I am about to say is going to seem completely off the wall, but I need you to not say anything until I'm finished. Can you do that?" he awaited her nod before continuing, "I'm not like you, Maria." an amused smile played on her lips, and Michael sighed in frustration. He knew it was going to be hard telling her, but he never could imagined it was going to be this hard. "Maria, listen to me. Max, Isabel, and I are from another planet, not Earth." he paused. "We're aliens."

Maria laughed and Michael withdrew from her, offended. "Are you kidding me?" her question was rhetorical. "Are you trying to make me laugh before dumping me, Michael? Is that it? Do you think that by telling me this crazy story that when you do break up with me, I won't be as hurt?"

Michael stood and paced in anger. "Damnit, Maria, this isn't a joke." he growled, sitting back down on the couch beside her. By now, he had her full attention. If Michael had wanted to scare her, it worked.

When Michael saw her reaction to his outburst, his angry eyes softened. He reached out to place a strand of her long, strawberry blonde hair behind her ears, and she flinched. He sighed, leaning into her. "I'm sorry." he whispered into her hair. Maria offered a smile for reassurance, but it fell when she caught the look in his eyes. "Maria, if I were human, would I be able to do this?"

Before she could ask 'what', Michael had cupped her face in his hands and brought her lips to his. Maria's mind swirled as he kissed her, a different sensation coming over her. Soon, she could see him. It was more vivid than just a memory. She saw him as a child; as his foster father beat him. She felt the comfort and safety that he had felt when he was around Max and Isabel. And then she saw herself. Surrounded by a glowing light, she looked beautiful. She could feel his love for her and could sense it growing stronger as the minutes passed.

The kiss overwhelmed her and scared her at the same time. It was then that Maria realized that Michael hadn't been lying. He really wasn't of this Earth. He was different. Fear overtook her and she quickly pulled away from his kiss. Standing, she swiftly reached for her things. There was no way she could stay there with him, not after the bombshell he had just dropped on her.

Maria caught his gaze as she raced out of his house. He was confused; hurt. Her reaction wasn't the one that he was hoping for, but could he blame her? Her boyfriend, the man she loved, belonged in the X-files. She just needed some time to process the new information. Hopefully, he could understand that.

**** __

* I liked that fact on the show that Max and Michael showed Liz and Maria things in the past with a kiss. It's weirdly romantic so I thought it'd be cute to use that now. I hope you enjoyed it! *


	14. Chapter 14

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will she be able to change Michael Guerin for the better?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: It's been a while but here's another update. Hope you like it!

****

**In The Name of Love**

Chapter 14

Maria leaned up against the bar counter, her mind preoccupied with the events of last night. She still hadn't told Liz that her boyfriend was an alien, but something inside of her told her that Liz already knew. She was dating Max, after all. Maria remembered Michael saying that he was one of them too.

As if on cue, the three entered the bar. Maria gasped as she noticed his intent stare out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't understand why he terrified her now. He had never tried to hurt her before. But before was different. Now, she **knew** he wasn't human.

"Cover for me." Maria spoke quickly and raced toward the backroom. Michael wasn't an employee. She knew he'd want to talk to her, but he couldn't do that if Maria hid out in the employee's lounge.

Liz watched her walk away, her curiosities getting the best of her. Maria was acting particularly strange today. Had something happened last night with Michael?

"I'm taking a break." Liz told Jennifer, an employee that had been hired only a week ago. "Can you get my tables?" When the girl nodded, Liz started for the back room. Something was bothering Maria and it was Liz's job, as a best friend, to find out what that was.

Entering the backroom, Liz spotted Maria's nervousness within seconds. She sat on the couch, biting her thumb nail as her legs shook. Liz sighed, taking a seat beside her and putting her hands on Maria's legs to stop her legs from fidgeting. "What's going on, Maria?" she asked, but Maria refused to answer. "We're best friends, right? You can tell me anything. You should know that." Liz really looked at Maria. "Did something happen last night? You know, between you and Michael?"

Maria's head snapped toward Liz and gazed wide-eyed at her. There was Liz' answer, but Maria chose to explain anyway. "Liz, he scared me last night. He told me something and it scared me. I love him. I do. But I don't know if I can cope with what he's said."

"What did he say?" Liz pressed.

"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you. It's too crazy." she stood and paced the room rapidly. Just when she had finally calmed down Michael had to come and turn her into this. She couldn't even think of a word for how paranoid she was beginning to act. Forcing herself to stop, Maria took in a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Liz," she hesitated about continuing. "Liz, I'm in love with an alien."

Maria was surprised to see that Liz wasn't even shocked about the entire thing. "You knew?" her question was rhetorical. She already knew the answer. "Why didn't you tell me, Liz?"

Liz walked to her friend and gave her a quick hug. She had reacted similarly when Max broke the news to her so Liz could understand how Maria felt. She was terrified and confused. Maria wanted to keep seeing Michael, but the fear of him was too great for her to even begin thinking about continuing a relationship. "I just thought it was Michael's job, Ria." her voice was soft and sympathetic. "It was his place to tell you something like that and in the long run, it will be so much better that he did tell you himself." she paused, sighing. "Besides if I had told you, your reaction would have been so much worse. You would have wanted Michael to tell you and you'd have been angry that he didn't."

Maria nodded. It was the truth. Had Michael kept this secret from her, she would have been furious. For the first time, she was actually thankful that it was Michael who had told her. "You're right, Liz." she stared passed her friend, toward the backroom door. "He's out there, you know. He probably wants to talk, but I don't think I can. Not right now. You should understand that, Liz. It couldn't have been easy for you to hear something like that about Max."

Liz took Maria by the hand and led her back to the couch. After she sat down, Liz watched as Maria followed. "Do you want to know how I reacted when Max told me?" When Maria nodded, she continued. "At first, I was just like you. I was so scared of him, afraid that he might flip and try to hurt me. But then I thought about him, about how my life would be like if I didn't have him. I hated that picture. They're not evil, Maria. They feel just like we do. The obvious difference is the only thing that sets them apart from us."

"So you are happy with Max now?" 

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Maria." Liz smiled as his face filtered into his mind. "What about you? Are you willing to let Michael slip away? He's so great, Maria. And he's crazy about you."

Maria's face lit up and she shook her head firmly. "I can't loose him, Liz. This is a big deal, but I don't like the thought of not having him in my life."

Liz stood and pulled Maria off of the couch and pushed her toward the door. She laughed. "So I guess there is someone you need to talk to." Liz opened the swinging door to the back room and Michael came into the Maria's view. Instinctively, Maria smiled. She really didn't want to miss out on him. "What are standing here for, Ria? Look at him." Michael stared them, obviously hopeful that Liz was changing Maria's thinking. "Go." Liz gave Maria one final push before she began to walk on her own. Butterflies fluttered within her stomach. What would Michael say about her sudden change of heart?

_*** So that's it for now. The story is slowly winding down and I hope that you've all it enjoyed it. I'm pretty sure that the next chapter will be my last. ***_


	15. Chapter 15

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: A couple of things actually. All good news, I hope. First, this obviously isn't the end of the fiction after all. Read along and you'll see why. Second, I changed the title because this seemed so much more fitting. I'll go back and change the other pages later. Again, you'll see why after reading this. Or at least, I hope you will. I know that updates have been few and far between, but I hope this was well worth the wait for you. I like this chapter, actually. I hope you do too! So let me know what you think.

:

**Unbroken**

**Chapter 15**

She wasn't going to lie. Maria was nervous; nervous beyond belief as she crossed the room and neared closer to him with each passing second. Questions traveled at a records pace through her mind. Would he want to talk to her? Would he be open to hearing what she had to say? Did he still care about her after what she had done? How would he react? And eventually, would he forgive her?

"Michael, can I talk to you outside?" he didn't have to look up at her. Michael's eyes had been locked on her since she had emerged from the backroom. He had hoped, deep within his mind, that she'd come to him; that she'd want to talk to him. Part of him was happy that his wish had come true. Another part of him was angry that she just couldn't accept him for him. He couldn't change the fact that he was an alien. Believe me, he couldn't. He would have done that by now. The last thing he wanted was to be looked upon, by the one girl that he cared most about in this world, as a creature; something that wasn't even human.

The truth was, he was human. Part of him, anyway. He felt just like she did. Michael just happened to be better at masking his emotions than many of the others. He hadn't succeeded the night she walked out on him, however. He was too ashamed to admit that she had broken his heart. The first time he had truly given his heart away was the first he had ever had it stepped on. Talk about your irony. And who said it was a bad thing to keep yourself protected from that?

Realizing that he hadn't answered her yet, Michael nodded and followed her through the swinging doors. Maria was just happy he had given her the chance. She didn't deserve it, that was for sure. Granted her so-called betrayal wasn't technically a betrayal, but it had of hurt him. They were close. Extremely close. She would have been hurt too had the situation been reversed.

She motioned for one of the tables outside and he sat down, placing his hand together and laying them on the table. His facial expression was blank, emotionless. And Maria didn't know exactly how to take that. 

"Michael, I'm sorry." she blurted out quickly, her nerves getting the best of her. She couldn't stand it. His gaze burned holes into her, making her feel even more guilty than she already did. "I'm so sorry." she couldn't stop the tears as they spilled out over her eyes. "I don't know what else to say to you except that. I don't deserve a second chance. I don't deserve anything from you. I hurt you. I can see that, and I'm sorry." she was shocked when he reached over and took her hands in his own. 

"Maria, I didn't expect you to take this well. No one ever does, but I wanted you to know. I needed you too. Liz knows about Max. It was only fair that you knew about me too." he explained, and a small glimmer of hope began to shine in Maria's eyes. Maybe he would forgive her after all. "But," her face dropped, his own brooding expression giving her no insight to his next words. "you did hurt me that night, Ria." he paused at the intake of a breath. "I never needed anyone. I never depended on anyone. I liked it that way. I didn't expect things from them and they didn't expect things from me. It was … " he searched for the word. "safe that way."

Her face contorted in confusion, even though she was beginning to pick up on his words. "Safe?" her questioning voice lingered in his ears. "You liked that? Being safe? Why, Michael? What has being safe ever brought you?" she knew his answer even before he spoke it, and she immediately regretted voicing her concern.

"It never brought me this." he dropped her hands and motioned between him and Maria. She caught onto his words quickly. "In being safe, I never gave my heart to anyone. To tell you the truth, there was never really anyone I so much as thought about before you. It just wasn't in my mind frame. And then you came along. I didn't expect it, Maria. I almost wished it hadn't happened --"

His words stung her deeply and she hurriedly interrupted him. "I understand. I was just some moment of weakness, right?" her sting quickly turned into the type of anger that only Maria could have possessed. "Is that it, Michael? You never really felt anything for me at all? All the times we were together were to what? Feed your own desires?" she stopped herself from slapping him across the cheek. She had wanted to talk to him. She should have prepared herself a little better for his words.

"I should have known." she continued on, outraged even more. The thoughts that were swimming in her heard only served as to add fuel to the fire that flickered inside of her. "I should have known that you could never really care about someone. They told me how you were, Michael. Why didn't I listen?"

Before she could berate herself any longer, Michael interrupted it her. "You are the one that ran away, Maria. Not me. You. You left me that night. You couldn't handle it." he stood from his seat and began to pace, unaware of the crowd he was beginning to draw from inside the café. "I wanted to be with you, Maria. Heart and Soul. Every part of me only wanted to be with you, but you left. I hated keeping that piece of information from you, Maria. God I hated it so much." his emotions were now raging in full force and Maria sat back, taking it all in as he continued to rant. This was the first time she had never seen these kinds of emotions emanating from him. Sure, when they kissed, there was passion, but this was different. This was so much different. "I wanted to tell you, you know. I wanted to tell you everything, but I was so scared. I was so scared this was going to happen. When I finally thought that we were strong enough to handle it, I told you. And guess what. We weren't."

Michael began to walk away, but Maria's desperate plea stopped him. "Please, Michael. Wait. I'm sorry. I told you that. I know that I shouldn't have been so weird about all of this, but let's face the facts. Who wouldn't be a little weirded out? You had to have known that I'd come back to you. After I had time to think and sort all of this out, you had to have known that."

Michael didn't turn around. "I didn't know that, Maria." he tone ran flat. "You gave me no indication of that. I thought it was over. I thought you wanted nothing to do with me. I prepared myself for a life without you. It would be much like the life I had before you."

"What? Angry and alone?" she neared him cautiously. 

"No," Michael turned ever so slowly to meet her. "unbroken." he then walked away, leaving her with her thoughts.

Liz, witnessing the whole thing, immediately rushed to consul Maria. Her arms flew around the petite girls frame as her back shook from her sobs. She had lost him. And she didn't even get a chance to tell him. She never got to tell him that she was just like him; always facing the world with a wall around her heart. She protected herself for the same exact reasons. She had had too much pain in her life already. After her father left her, she didn't want to get hurt again.

But Michael was the first guy that she ever truly saw. She saw all that she saw in herself and it was refreshing to know that there was someone else out that there just like her. And so she decided to open herself up to him. She didn't regret a single moment of it. With him, Maria was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She had always told herself that Roswell was going to bring her true happiness, and it did, if only for a little while.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Liz' coaxing voice brought Maria out of her thoughts.

"Was this how Max reacted to you, Liz?" she questioned, looking up at her best friend, her red and puffy eyes noticing the shake in Liz' head. "He forgave you instantly?" a bittersweet smile pursed her lips. "That's how much he cared about you?"

"Michael cares about you too, Maria." Liz scolded. She knew that for a fact. So did Maria. Michael had just admitted that. Liz couldn't let them give up on their love. She wasn't going to let Michael miss out on the best thing that could have ever happened to him. "Don't give up. He'll see that." Maria nodded as Liz guided her back inside, the crowd now gone since the excitement was over. "It's not over yet, Maria. I promise." Liz smiled down at her friend and for a split second saw a smile on Maria's face as well.


	16. Chapter 16

****

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

****

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

****

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well. 

****

Authors Note: So this is it. The end of this fiction. I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm nominated at Roswell Desert Skies -- the BMFA, more specifically, I believe. Vote for me! You can do so at www.roswelldesertskies.com. And as always, give me feedback!

**Unbroken**

****

Chapter 16

Maria sat at a small park bench, her mind reeling in her thoughts about Michael. The past few days had been absolute torture for her. But how was she supposed to tell him she was sorry? Part of her understood perfectly just why he had been so hurt about her reaction, but the other part of her still defended it. How exactly did he expect her to feel? He was an _alien_. People just didn't get that kind of a bomb dropped on them every day. But Michael had trusted her. He had put complete faith in what they had and now she had made him doubt that.

"Can I sit down?" Maria stiffened at the recognition of his voice and nodded slowly, remaining silent. If she spoke now, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from telling him all that she has been thinking. And he had come to her. Michael wanted to talk to her.

Silence ensued shortly after he had made himself comfortable, and Maria hesitantly chanced a glance at him to find that he wasn't even looking at her. His gaze remained locked on the grass-covered space in front of him, his eyes not daring to blink even once. "Michael?" her voice was shaky and unsure, but neither of them had noticed. Maria continued to watch him carefully until finally, he blinked.

"I'm sorry." They both sputtered in urgency, a nervous laugh following soon after. Both waited for the other to speak up again, but neither took that initiative. "Go ahead." Michael finally said, chancing a glance back at Maria, who was already staring at him.

She nodded softly and shifted her body so that she was turned toward him, her left leg leaning again the bench backrest. When Michael nervously turned away from her gaze, she stopped him by taking his face in her hands, holding his view on her in place. She concentrated hard on his face, taking in all it, before opening her mouth to speak, "Michael, I'm sorry." she shrugged at her seemingly simple words, her hands falling from his face. She was shocked that he continued to look down at her, even without her hands on him holding his firm gaze still.

"I know you are, Maria." she leaned into his touch when he went to put stray tendrils of hair behind her ear, her downward glance locked on her knees. "I'm sorry too." Maria looked back up at him. "My reaction at the café was a little rushed and over exaggerated. I was hurt, but I shouldn't have walked away from you like I did." he paused. "But do you understand why I did, Maria?"

Maria nodded weakly. "You trusted me. You confided in me and I freaked out. You put faith in the fact that you thought you could tell me anything. My reaction to your news only proved that you couldn't."

Michael shook his head defiantly, his hands moving to cup her face. "No," his voice was firm. "I said that, Maria, but I didn't mean it. I was hurting. I was only striking back at you, but I didn't mean a word I said at the café, except that I do care for you." he retracted his hands, his voice softening. "I was scared, Maria. God, I was so scared." Michael stood to pace the ground in front of the bench. "Before you, I depended on no one. My life has been full of disappointments, Maria. I never really had a family to lean on, not like Max or Isabel. So I became this cold, shut off person and I grew accustomed to that." he paused, dropping to kneel in front of Maria, his hands resting on her knees for balance. "And then you came. You made me feel things I've never felt before, Maria. And it scared the shit out of me. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't. I couldn't fight you, Maria. The café was just my last desperate plea, but I couldn't even keep that up. I had to see you. I had to talk to you."

Tears sparkled in Maria's eyes, a smile pursing her lips. "You know, Spaceboy, we aren't so different, you and I." she stood, pulling him up with her. "I was scared too. You are the first boy that I've ever let myself get close to. When my dad left, it was my mother and me against the world. I kind of expected it to always be that way. I couldn't trust men. If my father had let me down then what did that say about all the other boys in the world? I thought they were all the same. And then I met you, Michael." her hands traced the contours of his face. "I could see right through you. You masked so much, but that was only because you were just like me. You were bruised. I was drawn to you in that way." she paused. "I wish I could take back my reaction. I wish I could have been as understanding as you wanted me to be."

"I don't." Michael argued. "That reaction was how you felt. It was insensitive of me to expect you to take it better. What I am is a big deal, Maria. You had ever right to freak out. Deep down, I knew that you would. But when you did, it was just another chance for me to protect myself from you. Now, I don't want to."

Maria blinked her tears away as she smiled. "Why?" she asked. "Michael, what made you want to let your guard down?"

He thought about his words carefully before speaking them. Maria's question was a good one. Michael wasn't so sure that he'd be able to pinpoint the exact reason, but he was going to try. He wanted Maria to know everything about him. She deserved that much. "I love you." his explanation was short, but those three words would mean so much. He chuckled. "That's the first time I've every said that to anyone. But I do, Maria. I. Love. You." he said again.

Maria stumbled back in shock, her hand coming to cover her racing heart. She was in shock, but it was a pleasant kind of shock. She hadn't expected her fling with Michael Guerin to turn in to anything more than that. But now Maria was certain she had found her soulmate. He truly was the only guy for her. He'd always be the only guy for her. Whether she ended up with Michael or not, no one would ever capture her heart like he had done so quickly. Whether she ended up with him or not, no one would ever stand a chance in comparison to him. And he'd always be compared the others. Always.

But something inside of her told her that she wouldn't have to worry about others measuring up to Michael Guerin. She wouldn't have to worry about having to go on without him because she'd always be with him. Michael Guerin was hers and she was his. They belonged to each other and it would always be that way. Maria was certain of that.

"I - I love you." she stuttered, but only because she was still getting over the shock. The way she felt was something that she had never been more sure about. Maria could see that her feelings for Michael were growing, but she hadn't been so sure that his were too. Now she knew. Maria smiled. Now she knew that he felt exactly the same way she did.

Their lips met slowly in what was a passionate but tender kiss. Michael pulled back ever so slowly and watched Maria, her eyes remaining closed for a few beats. He hadn't expected or even wanted these feelings that were now encircling him. In fact, he had tried his hardest to stay away from Maria. He had known what she was capable of doing to him even before he fully knew her. But now, as he looked down her innocent features, he was glad that he hadn't been able to stay away. He was grateful that, for once, his stubborn nature had caved in. Now he had someone. Max had Liz. Isabel hand Alex. He had Maria. And it would always be that way.

****

* This chapter was kind of short, but then again, most of mine are. I really hoped you enjoyed reading this. It has been blast for me in writing it. It's kinda sad that it's over, but also, I'm kinda glad. It's finished now! Yippee. No one will be left in suspense anymore. But then again, I guess I never left you in much anyway. But it's been fun! I've loved every minute of it. *


End file.
